Re: Season 95, Vol 2: Michigan Tech '15-'16
As you know he's the commissioner of the NCHC.
He was interviewed for quite an extended period during the Duluth vs St Cloud game. He came off as someone who really didn't have a clue as to what was going on in reality, and kept going on about defending the brand and building the brand and how important it was to do so. Blah, Blah, Blah.
And while i'm on my high horse here... UND and Denver and those people, were all upset about giving money to the teams at the bottom, but since the split they don't have more money in their pockets, they have less. A lot less. And so does everyone else, which I find totally nuts.... and bedsides that, some teams are in financial trouble which they wouldn't have been, had mr Fenton and his friends not Defended the dang brand.
Thirdly, they were saying how they shouldn't have to host Tech in Denver because of the poor crowds, and how awful the travel to Houghton was, but they have fewer people in the stands now than they did before, and the travel is just as tough or tougher.
So Mr Fenton is whistling in the dark and making a jerk of himself and his buddies.I find the whole deal based on extremely questionable assumptions and I'm disgusted by their continued arrogant behavior.
Oh and where is their vaunted TV deal?. In the toilet is where. The networks had such bad ratings they pulled most of the games, and put on women lacrosse instead. Seriously. I believe there is less than half as many games as the first year. Even the Notre Dame games are far fewer than last year. I'll bet that next year there will be even fewer because ratings are ratings after all.
lastly, ASU. If ASU had the financing for a descent rink, they would be in the WCHA right now, and starting a schedule in 17-18. But they don't and the reason is, if you ask me, money. This partnering with the NHL is not going to work well at all. So once again, I'm wondering if in reality they are talking bigger than they should have.If you watched some of the interviews and speeches by the ASU AD, he came across as talking down to the audience. Personally, since they were scarfing up some of the best recruits in the BCHL, it's ok if they struggle some.
Anyway, I would not count on them coming in when they said. They are having management problems, the players are all PO'ed, and I would think the travel was brutal. I wonder what the attendance was yesterday at Gila arena. I bet pretty miserable, but there is no box score that I can find. I don't think anyone in the WCHA or the NCHC or anyone else, wants to spend all the money going out there without them covering the cost.
End rant.
